Human Rights Defender Discusses Child Abuse Case at Yerevan Kindergarten

The Human Rights Defender, Arman Tatoyan, made a post on his Facebook page addressing reports that emerged today regarding incidents of maltreatment towards a child at a kindergarten in Yerevan.

The following is the content of the post: “Immediately after the publication regarding cases of maltreatment of a child at a kindergarten in Yerevan, at the instruction of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, employees of the Children's Rights Protection Division visited the kindergarten. Private conversations took place with the staff and management. Throughout the day, multifaceted professional discussions were initiated with the Yerevan City Hall.

The Defender's staff is also in contact with the child's parent. It has been acknowledged that a criminal case has been opened. Regarding the content of publications about the child, it should be noted that any material published must adhere to the principle of non-harm, respecting the dignity and rights of the child in any situation. Careful attention should be given to the confidentiality of each child's private life when reporting information about them.

The Defender will continue to monitor the steps taken in this case concerning the status of ensuring the child's rights. We urge everyone to keep in mind that the best interests of the child are a priority in any situation; public sources should not mention information that allows for the identification of the child or their family, including highlighting the child’s specific national affiliation, even if names have been changed (for instance, if the goal is to show that discrimination based on national affiliation exists, it is sufficient to mention that the case concerns a representative of a national minority).

Letters have been prepared addressed to the Yerevan City Hall and the Police Department.”